Beijing plans for better infant care services

BEIJING -- Beijing plans to build at least 34 representative care institutions for infants between 2020 and 2025, local authorities said on Oct 29.

Care facilities will also be built for newly constructed residential communities with populations over 10,000, according to the municipal health commission. These facilities will have minimum enrollment capacities of four spaces per 1,000 people.

The commission said that Beijing has been promoting the construction of maternal and infant facilities in public spaces and work buildings, though the city's infant care services are still in an early stage.

Financial support priority will be given to community-based and inclusive infant care service institutions.

Beijing will include infant care service practitioners in its training plan for urgently needed professions, and will support district-level governments in including infant care in their urban and rural community services.